Category: DIY – JEWELRY
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Here´s another braid tutorial. I made a necklace and a bracelet from this diy, but you can pretty much do whatever you like. First take an old top in a stretchy material ( you don´t want the sides to start threading). Cut off the bottom seam.

When you have turned it a couple of times, move it over the other two strands and place it on the left side. Take something heavy, and put it on top of the strand so it will stay in place, and still be turned. Now take the strand to the right and turn that one too. Turn it a couple of times.

… move it over the other two strands. And you remember the heavy thing, right? Now just repeat these steps until you have it as long as you want it to be. When you are finished, it´s important that you dont let go of the braid. Hold the strands together and put a tiny dot of glue in the middle and wait for it to dry. Then you take two end pieces and glue them on the ends.

You know what. We don´t always have to go out and buy something to get something new. We can often use the things we already have. Like with this bracelet that used to be a necklace. I liked the little ball that was with the lock on the necklace, so I cut it off, and put it on a smaller chain. Which actually is a necklace too. Wrapped it around my arm twice and just like that I have a new bracelet. Doesn´t get much easier than that.

Time to make a braided bracelet. In this tutorial I used one thick thread, because it is easier to show what I am doing that way. But once you have the hang on the technique, you can use three thinner leather threads to get one that looks like the picture above. I used three threads, 2mm thick and about 1.65 m long. But make it a little bit longer just to be on the safe side.

Start by finding the middle of your thread and mark it with a piece of tape. Then take the thread to the right and make a bubble under the left thread. Then take the left thread and slide it under and over the bubble. See the pictures. When you´re finished pull the ends. You might have to adjust the thread as you go. This is part one.

Now it´s time for part two. Make a bubble under the right thread using the left one. Then take the right thread and go under and over the bubble. Once again see pictures. And when you´re done. Pull the ends.

As you roll you can put a dot of glue here and there just to secure it. When you´ve reached the last 5 cm of the triangle put glue on the remaining part and continue to roll. Let it dry for a while and then gently remove it from the brochette. Now you can do the next bead.

For this diy I used a brochette but if you want bigger holes on your beads you can use a pencil. Or if you want smaller you can use a steel wire. It all depends on which kind of thread you´re using later on. And you can also put a coat of paper coating on the beads to make them more durable.